Power Teams of MX1 this season

Photo: Team KTM - KTM Racing image.

KTM have been the leading for some time now as they continue to pour Euros into the Red Bull KTM Factory Team both in America and Europe. But how about the other brands?

Honda seems to have really made a big move, similar to what they did in the 1980’s with the HRC effort. While the Honda World Motocross Team might not be as threatening as that Eric Geboers, Dave Thorpe and Jeff Leisk era, the signs are there that they want to put pressure on KTM at the top.

Roger Harvey, who controls the relationship between Japan and Europe, has been working hard to make sure that all is in place for a strong push. Just as KTM had in 2006, Honda have a three year plan, and they are moving into the second year of that in 2012. Already with a GP win and a bunch of podiums with Russian rider Evgeny Bobryshev, the Honda effort looks stronger than for many years. Honda has a new bike in 2012 and from pre-season races it looks like Bobryshev will be a tough rider to beat this year.

One of the most powerful teams in the history of the sport is of course the Michele Rinaldi owned Monster Energy Yamaha Team. This is probably the most successful team in the GP paddock in the last decade with a bunch of titles to Stefan Everts and also one to David Philippaerts. Rinaldi’s team had suffered from the cut in budget from Yamaha Japan, and the Monster Energy support came at the right time. Yamaha have started trying to look through the mist of the recession and once again building for the future. This year Monster Energy made a deal with the Steve Dixon team, giving Monster Energy Yamaha an even stronger look.

The Sylvain Geboers Rockstar Energy Suzuki Factory Team has suffered the same fate as Yamaha, with budgets cut from Japan, and just like Rinaldi’s outfit it’s been help from Rockstar Energy drink that has made sure the team could fight through tough times. Geboers and his brother Eric run a team that is always professional, and had Steve Ramon riding for them when he won the World title in 2007. Clement Desalle looks likely to be the next guy to win a World Championship outside Cairoli and the Belgian is very happy under the Suzuki factory team awning.

Kawasaki has suffered for different reasons in recent years, and the financial crisis hasn’t helped. With passing of former team owner Jan De Groot several years ago, the strength of the team was tested and what it came out of this period was two Factory Kawasaki Teams, one with the Christophe Pourcel led team and then the official Kawasaki factory team with Gautier Paulin and Xavier Boog. In recent years success for Kawasaki has been limited to the odd GP win and some podiums. They are clearly the weaker of the factory teams, but sings are good after Paulin’s sensational pre-season form.

Whilst there are no New Zealanders racing in MX1, of interest will be Australian Dean Ferris riding for ICE1 Kawasaki.

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The official MX1 entry lists for Round 1, the Grand Prix of The Netherlands.

ENTRY LIST MX1						IMN : 202 - 01
Nmbr	Surname	First name	Nat.	Fed.	Brand	Team
4	LEOK	TANEL	EST	EMF	SUZUKI	Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1
7	BARRAGAN	JONATHAN	ESP	RFME	HONDA	LS Honda Racing
9	DE DYCKER	KEN	BEL	FMB	HONDA	LS Honda Racing
10	BOISSIERE	ANTHONY	FRA	FFM	TM	TM Racing Factory Team
11	POURCEL	SEBASTIEN	FRA	FFM	KAWASAKI	Team CP377 Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit
12	NAGL	MAXIMILIAN	GER	DMSB	KTM	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
19	PHILIPPAERTS	DAVID	ITA	FMI	YAMAHA	Monster Energy Yamaha
21	PAULIN	GAUTIER	FRA	FFM	KAWASAKI	Kawasaki Racing Team
22	STRIJBOS	KEVIN	BEL	FMB	KTM	HM Plant KTM UK
24	SIMPSON	SHAUN	GBR	ACU	YAMAHA	Monster Energy Yamaha
25	DESALLE	CLEMENT	BEL	FMB	SUZUKI	Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1
30	ARANDA	GREGORY	FRA	FFM	YAMAHA	Team2B
32	POTISEK	MILKO	FRA	FFM	HONDA	Honda France HDI MX Team
36	BONINI	MATTEO	ITA	FMI	KTM	Marchetti Racing
37	KRESTINOV	GERT	EST	EMF	HONDA	Motovision Honda
39	GUARNERI	DAVIDE	ITA	FMI	KTM	KTM Silver Action
41	SMITH	ALFIE	GBR	ACU	YAMAHA	JK Gebben Yamaha
42	PARKER	NATHAN	GBR	ACU	KTM	Team STR KTM
50	BARR	MARTIN	IRL	ACU	KAWASAKI
55	KRAS	MIKE	NED	KNMV	SUZUKI
61	BRAKKE	HERJAN	NED	KNMV	YAMAHA	JK Gebben Yamaha
67	TIAINEN	SANTTU	FIN	SML	KAWASAKI	ICE1 Racing
74	STEINBERGS	IVO	LAT	LaMSF	KAWASAKI	RIGA Motocross Team
79	OLDEKAMP	LARS	GER	DMSB	KTM	KTM Scott Racing
91	KARRO	MATISS	LAT	LaMSF	KTM	Team STR KTM
95	JUSTS	AUGUSTS	LAT	LaMSF	HONDA	Latvia Elksni Honda
99	TEKO	KRISTERS	LAT	LaMSF	HONDA	Latvia Elksni Honda
111	FERRIS	DEAN	AUS	MA	KAWASAKI	ICE1 Racing
120	SOUBEYRAS	CEDRIC	FRA	FFM	HONDA	Honda France HDI MX Team
121	BOOG	XAVIER	FRA	FFM	KAWASAKI	Kawasaki Racing Team
171	BERTUZZO	PIER FILIPPO	ITA	FMI	HONDA	Massignani Racing Honda HM
183	FROSSARD	STEVEN	FRA	FFM	YAMAHA	Monster Energy Yamaha
212	DE REUVER	MARK	NED	KNMV	KAWASAKI
215	LYNGGAARD	KASPER	DEN	DMU	KAWASAKI	Sturm Racing Team
222	CAIROLI	ANTONIO	ITA	FMI	KTM	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
287	SCHIFFER	MARCUS	GER	DMSB	SUZUKI
377	POURCEL	CHRISTOPHE	FRA	FFM	KAWASAKI	Team CP377 Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit
611	COCIU	MIHAIL	MOL	FMI	KTM	KTM Silver Action
777	BOBRYSHEV	EVGENY	RUS	MFR	HONDA	Honda World Motocross Team
999	GONCALVES	RUI	POR	FMP	HONDA	Honda World Motocross Team